Craemer plastic pallet tests prove a winner at Jordans Cereals

Rigorous trials on Craemer CR3-5 plastic pallets at an ISO Test Centre provided the final overwhelming and comprehensive proof to Jordans Cereals, demonstrating that these plastic pallets were more than capable of providing safe storage and transit of bulk raw material products from their ingredients warehouse into the production areas.

When Jordans Cereals moved into new and improved warehouse facilities, they changed to storing product in a Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) 14m high bay racking system, so they had to be sure any pallets would be suitable and fit for purpose.

This change to storing product in a high bay racking system immediately presented Jordans with a different handling requirement and a dilemma, as their existing pool of plastic pallets had deteriorated due to wear and tear over several years, suffering obvious impact damage caused by fork lift truck handling. Therefore the existing pallets could not be safely used to transport bulk bags of raw material products and also store them in the high bay pallet racks.

As a result, a number of manufacturers and suppliers were invited to tender for the supply of new plastic pallets that would have to meet certain criteria, with particular emphasis on the safety of handling Jordans 1100kg FIBCs

To ensure adequate load bearing capacity steel re-inforcement of some of the pallets was suggested, in particular for handling of the FIBCs, as the bulk bags centralise the weight in the middle of the pallet. Where as, similar weight non-bulk bags/boxes can be stacked and configured to spread the weight evenly over the pallet area.

Other specification requirements included colours, corporate branding and a requirement for separate pallets to handle lighter loads of 25 kilo sacks up to around 900 kilos per pallet.

Craemer met the criteria

In view of the weights involved, Jordans prime criteria was to identify and select plastic pallets that would ensure maximum safety in storage and handling operations. Pallet Manager Paul Andrews commented, In reviewing the tenders, Craemer was not necessarily the cheapest option, but they were very professional, providing ISO - QA assessment of materials used in manufacturing and in demonstrating their plastic pallet capabilities in trials. Craemers plastic pallets offered some good all round advantages.

Craemer Sales Manager - Steve Penney, confidently proposed the use of three plastic pallets - the CR3-5 with metal re-inforcement, CR3-5 and CR-1, all of which had to be submitted to deflection tests and many trials in order to convince Jordans that the products would meet their stringent safety concerns.

Due to its structural features the five runner CR3-5 plastic pallet (1200 x 1000mm) was proposed for handling Jordans 1100kg FIBCs. With integrated steel re-inforced profiles and unique anti-slip topdeck, the Craemer CR3-5 is the ultimate high strength perimetric plastic pallet providing for the highest

stability and a load bearing capability of 1250kgs in a racking system. These plastic pallets were supplied in grey/blue colour with advisory text to clearly distinguish them from the CR3-5 1 tonne pallet, which was supplied in a red-brown base colour with blue antislip topdeck for handling of the lighter loads of 25 kilo sacks.

The competitive and very versatile CR1 plastic pallet does not incorporate re-inforcement profiles, but is very durable and capable of transporting of heavy loads and storage in racking systems up to 1,000kg.

The CR1 plastic pallet was supplied in a 1200 x 800mm format as some of the ingredients are imported from mainland Europe on wooden pallets and turned onto the plastic pallet before they are allowed into the stores area.

The distinctive design of the topdeck makes the pallet easy to clean and the antislip topdeck is advantageous in providing for safe stacking of empty pallets and handling of ingredients like papaya, pineapple etc, which are delivered in containers and stacked directly onto the plastic pallets.

Jordans Pallet Manager Paul Andrews reported, Craemer offered an excellent solution to meet all our requirements and their food grade plastic pallets performed impressively in trials. Their destruction tests involving impacts between the plastic pallets and fork lift trucks showed no damage to edges and corner blocks. Following over 12 months of actual service in Jordans warehouse and production areas, we can still confirm that we have not found any damage to these areas of the Craemer plastic pallets.

The CR3-5 bulk bag pallet has definitely helped to overcome Jordans primary concerns in handling and storage and met their criteria for purchasing of the new pallets. The 1100kg bags can be safely placed in the high bay racking without any concerns that pallets may collapse whilst in the racks.

Craemer supplied a user guide for pallet use as part of the training and have scheduled returned visits to monitor pallet conditions in accordance with method of supply. They also organised an audit of their German production facilities for Jordans QC Team, who reported they were very impressed with Craemers professionalism and products. The Quality Management System is seamlessly implemented and well managed

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